Pace Edwards' Bed Locker Bedcover

By Chris Hemer, Photography by Chris Hemer

Sport Truck, August 01, 2008

The Install1. Curiously, the '08 Silverado's bed only has one large drain hole on the driver side, so another hole was drilled on the passenger side to accommodate the drain tubes that come with the kit.

The Install 1. Curiously, the '08 Silverado's bed only has one large drain hole on the dr

2. Once the holes were drilled, the drain tubes were test-fitted to make sure the holes were large enough.

2. Once the holes were drilled, the drain tubes were test-fitted to make sure the holes we

3. The Bedlocker canister was lifted up onto the tailgate, and the particle board packaging was removed on either end.

3. The Bedlocker canister was lifted up onto the tailgate, and the particle board packagin

4. Lifting the end of the cover from the canister reveals the gear and roller assembly that actuates the truck cover blanket.

4. Lifting the end of the cover from the canister reveals the gear and roller assembly tha

5. The motor is already prewired with this pigtail that simply plugs into the main harness, which is run up to the battery.

5. The motor is already prewired with this pigtail that simply plugs into the main harness

6. Near the top of the bedrail on the driver side is a plastic plug. Ordinarily, it can simply be popped out to run the wiring harness from the bed underneath the vehicle, but since this truck had a spray-in bedliner that covered the plug, it was easier just to drill through it.

6. Near the top of the bedrail on the driver side is a plastic plug. Ordinarily, it can si

7. The wiring harness was pushed through the hole and down, while another tech grabbed it from underneath the truck. They left enough slack to plug it into the canister (about 10 to 12 inches) and secured the rest in place under the truck using wire ties as they worked their way forward to the engine compartment.

7. The wiring harness was pushed through the hole and down, while another tech grabbed it

8. The canister was moved to the front of the bed, about a foot from the cab, and supported by the shipping box to hold it just above bed height. The cover guide rails were removed from their box, and the protective paper strip was removed from the rubber pad on the underside of the guide rails. Then, the guide rails were slid into the brackets on either side of the canister, while the blanket was threaded in the guide rails at the same time (inset).

8. The canister was moved to the front of the bed, about a foot from the cab, and supporte

9. With the rails installed on the canister, the canister can be moved up against the cab, centered in the bed, and the support removed from underneath. The harness can then be plugged in (inset).

9. With the rails installed on the canister, the canister can be moved up against the cab,

10. Because the bed of the Silverado is not actually square, PE supplies these two-piece aluminum clamp shims, which are slid onto the guide rails to ensure that the guide rails remain the same distance from each other for the length of the bed. If they are not square, the cover will not be able to operate correctly.

10. Because the bed of the Silverado is not actually square, PE supplies these two-piece a

11. The clamp shim was moved to the front of the rail, and the clamp shim bracket, which is used to adjust the distance between the bedrail and the cover guide rail, was installed.

11. The clamp shim was moved to the front of the rail, and the clamp shim bracket, which i

12. The four rail clamps were installed on each corner of the bed next. Unlike the clamp shims, which are used to keep the rails square in the bed, the rail clamps secure the Bedlocker's guide rails to the truck bedrails. Once the distance between the rails has been measured and is the same at the front and rear of the truck bed, the clamps can be secured.

12. The four rail clamps were installed on each corner of the bed next. Unlike the clamp s

13. The drain tubes were installed next. They simply get pushed into the predrilled holes underneath the canister and snap into place.

13. The drain tubes were installed next. They simply get pushed into the predrilled holes

14. To power up the Bedlocker, the harness was routed underneath the vehicle on the driver side then run across the firewall to the battery on the passenger side. Connect one wire to the positive side of the battery and one to the negative, and you're done.

14. To power up the Bedlocker, the harness was routed underneath the vehicle on the driver

15. Before the top cover is installed, you can see how the Bedlocker actually rolls into and out of the canister.

15. Before the top cover is installed, you can see how the Bedlocker actually rolls into a

16. Finally, the top cover was attached to the canister using one supplied screw on either side. The insides of the rail guides were wiped down with the provided 303 lubricant, and the installation was complete. The cover was run back and forth to check for smooth operation.

16. Finally, the top cover was attached to the canister using one supplied screw on either

The Final WordWith the installation completed, you can see that the cover is actually flush with the bedrails for a clean appearance. PE's testing and customer feedback has shown that these covers can actually save you gas-how much depends on your truck and how you drive.